Apparatus for extracting minerals from ores



G. M- SlfURESh.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING MINERALS FROM ORES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29. 1918.

1 32 31 0 Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

s SHEETS-SHEET I.

IN VE A/WM A A TTORNEYS s. M. SHIRES. APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTINVG MINERALSFROM ORES.

. I APPLICATION HLED NOV. 29. 1918. 1,328,210, Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 NV EN OR.

7/////////////// E v////// V//// //%////////Z m 4 fi \E Q g mm ATTORNEYS G. M. SHIRES.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING MINERALS FROM OR'ES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29; I918.

Patented Jan. 13,1920.

INV TOR.

Patented. Jan. 13, 1920;

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

G. M. SHIRES.

APPARATUS FOR EXTBACTING MINERALS FROM ORES.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1918. 1,323,210.

G. M. SHIRES.

I Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y5 UNTTED STATE8 PA NT FFICE.

GEORGE M. SHIRES, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING MINERALS FROM 'ORES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an 13, 1920 Applicationfiled November 29, 1918. Serial No. 264,705.

ing Minerals from Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in an apparatusfor extracting sulfur from ores.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed. which is specially designed for the purpose of extractingminerals, particularly sulfur. from ores, containing the same.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of anapparatus whereby the different processes carried on by the apparatusmay be carried on, in the main, automatically, and the mineral therebyextracted from the ore and separated in a substantially pure state.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means fordelivering the residue of the ore from which the mineral is extracted,from the refining retort.

'With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, operation andarrangement of parts. an example ofwhich is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1, shows a side view of the heating drums, showing the means fordelivering the mineral to be treated thereto.

Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view of one of said drums.

Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional view of the retort.

Fig. "s2, is a transverse sectional view thereof.

Fi 5, is a fragmentary longitudinal sectiona view of the steam tableemployed.

' Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view thereof.

Fig. 7, is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of an endlessconveyer. which cooperates with the steam table.

Fig. 8, is a transverse sectional view of the retort, and

Figs. 9 and 10, show end and slde views, respectively of the refusetanks employed. Referring now more particularly to the drawings whereinlike numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of thefigures, the numeral 1, refers to the crusher, having the hopper 2,which receives the ore. The ore is ground up by said crusher anddelivered to the rolls 3 and 4, between which it passes and by means ofwhich is reduced to a comparatively fine state. It is then delivered tothe elevator 5, of any well known construction by means of which it iselevated and delivered to the ore bin 6. As .shown in Fig. 1, there arethree heating drums,

7, 8 and 9, arranged vertically one above the other, and the ore bin 6is mounted above them. The lower drum 9 is connected to the separator10, by means of a suitable discharge pipe 11, and the drums 7 and 8, and8 and 9, are connected by suitable discharge pipes 12 and 13,respectively. The ore is discharged from the bin 6, through a suitabledischarge pipe 14. The respective discharge pipes 11,12, 13, and 14, arecontrolled by the respective shutter valves 15, 16, 17 and 18, and therespective gate valves 19, 20, 21 and 22. The ore delivered into the bin6, is delivered into the drum 7, by first opening the gate valve 22, andthen by manipulating the shutter valve 18, so as to regulate thedischarge of the ore, and the passage of the ore from any particulardrum to the one underneath it, is controlled in a similar manner. I

Steam lines 23, 24, 2-5 and 26, respectively, connect the separator 10with the drum 9, and connect the drums 9 and 8, the drums 8 and 7, andthe drum 7, with the ore bin 6, and these steam lines are controlled,respectively, by the, valves 27, 28, 29 and 30. Steam is admitted to theseparator through the steam pipe 31, in the manner hereinafterdescribed, and a supplemental steam line 32, leads from this pipe and isconnected to the respective drums 7, 8 and 9, and is controlled by meansof the respective valves 34, and 35. This supplemental steam is providedto keep the ore in the. drums heated, so that it will not harden, incase the main steam line should become disabled. Provision is also madefor substituting hot air for steam "in thedrums 8 and 9, said hot airbeing introduced through the air line 36, which enters said drums andwhich is controlled by the valves 34 and 37, and the valves 35 and 38. Asufficient amount of ore is admitted to first fill the drums 7, 8 and 9,and all of the valves controlling the disthen closed and steam or hotair is then admitted to the lower drum to raise the temperature thereof,to approximately, 230 F., which will ordinarily be sufficient to meltthe sulfur. The heating fluid is then permitted to pass on up to thedrum 8 until it is raised to a temperature of approximately 216 F., andthen on to the last drum until its temperature is raised toapproximately 180 F., and the surplus heating fluid, if any, may then bepermitted to pass on up through the ore bin so as to raise itstemperature considerably, thus while the charge in the. lower drum isbeing melted, the temperature of the charges above it is being graduallyraised. lVhen the smaller particles of ore in the lower drum 9, havebeen melted, its contents are discharged into the separator 10 in themanner hereinbefore explained, and the charges contained in the otherdrums 8 and 7, and in t-heore bin 6 are each lowered a stage. However,before any particular drum is filled with another charge. the sand,water from condensation, and other foreign matter, is washed therefrom,so that the controlling valves will be kept free and unclogged by meansof water, which may be discharged therein through the water line 39.This line extends down by the drums, and has suitable discharge nozzlescontrolled by the respective valves 40, ll. l2 and i3. 'ater is forcedinto this line from the heater drum all, through the water pipe 45, bymeans of the pump -16, and the sand and other foreign matter washed fromthe drums 7 and S, is conducted off to the waste tanks, hereinafterreferred to, through the discharge line H, which is controlled by therespective valves 48 and 49. The steam pipe 31 enters the separator 10.and terminates in the steam box 51, which is supported by a suitableframework This framework is independent of the separator, and is mountedon suitable rollers 53, 53, which are sustained upon the track 54,provided in the bottom of the separator 10. The steanr box 51 isarranged transversely with respect to the separator and declinesforwardly, and its upper wall has a plurality of transverse rows ofperforations 55, which are covered by means of transverse plates '56,spaced apart, and whose under faces have transverse grooves 57, whichcommunicate with the corresponding perforations 55, and extend to thefree edges of said plates. The steam entering the steam box through thepipe 31, passes through the perforations 55, and the grooves 57, andfilters up through the ore, and finishes the melting of the coarseparticles of ore passing over the steam table increasing the temperatureof said ore and filling the separator with steam,

thus maintaining-the separator at a high degree of temperature. Themelted sulfur discharged from the lower drum 9, passes onto said steamtable and is moved forwardly along said table by means of the chainconveyer 58. This conveyer is formed of endless sprocket chains 59, andis mounted to travel in the tracks 60, carried by the framework 52.These tracks are formed of channel irons and the said chains 59 have thelateral rollers 61, which move in said channels, and fastened to saidchains are the transverse scraper blades 62,, which engage with andforce the melted sulfur down along the steam table. A chute is mountedon the framework 52, and has the side members 63, 63. The steam tableforms the bottom ofthis chute throughout the length of said table, andsaid bottom continues from the table throughout the full length of thechute and is preferably formed of sheet metal (34, the sides of saidchute also being preferably formed of sheet metal. The melted sulfur iscarried down said chute by said conveyer until it reaches the screeningsections 65, formed in the sides 63, of the conveyer, and the liquidportion thereof passes out through said screening sections onto thedeflectors 66, G6, and is by them delivered onto the moving apron 67,formed of open mesh wort. The residue is carried on up the chute whichinclines upwardly from this point, and is delivered into the wasteoutlet 68, and passes thence through the waste lines 69, (39, into thewaste tanks 70, 70. The sprocket chains of the conveyer 58 travel overthe respective idler sprockets 71, 72 and 73, and are driven by thesprocket wheels 74, which are fixed upon the shaft 75. This shaft has aspur gear wheel 76, fixed thereon, in mesh with a corresponding gearwheel 77, which is fixed upon the shaft 78, and this last mentionedshaft has a pulley 79, fixed thereon, through which rotation may beimparted to it. The apron 67 moves over the rollers 80 and 81, theformer of which is fixed upon the transverse shaft 82. The shaft 78 hasa sprocket wheel 83, fixed .thereonwhich is in alinement with thecorresponding sprocket wheel 84, which is fixed upon the shorttransverse shaft 85. and rotation is imparted from the sprocket wheci 83to the sprocket wheel 84, through the sprocket chain 86, which operatesthcreover. The shaft 85 also has a sprocket wheel 87, fixed thereon,which is in alinement with the sprocket wheel88, which is fixed on theshaft 82, and rotation is 'imparted from the sprocket wheel 87, to thesprocket wheel 85, through the sprocket chain 89, which operatesthereover, and thereby rotation is imparted to the roller 80, throughwhich the traveling apron (S7 is driven. The melted liquid falling ontosaid apron passes therethrough onto a transverse deflector 90,preferably formed of sheet metal, and is by said deflector dischargedinto the vat 91,

vided with a superheater 92, preferably con-' sisting of a Worm throughwhich hot steam may be conducted. Any particles of unliquefied materialare carried by said traveling apron and discharged therefrom through thedischarge opening 93, into the waste outlet 6.8. i

The sand, water, and liquid sulfur Which collects in the drum 9 isdelivered from said drum through the pipe 50, and discharged into theseparator 10 and is received by the trough 94, which is fixed at oneside of the chute 63, and conveyed doWn along said trough and dischargedonto the traveling apron 67, by the spout 95. The vat 91 is providedwith an outlet 96, through which the liquid sulfur passes onto thetraveling apron 97. This apron travels over the rollers 98 and 99, theformer of whichis fixed upon the shaft 100, and the latter of which isan idler; The shaft100'has asprocket' wheel 101, fixed thereon which isin alinement with a "corresponding sprocket'wheel 102, fixed upon theinner end of the shaft I 2 35, and operating over these sprocket wheelsis the sprocket chain 103, which lmparts rotationfrom the former to thelatter, and' which rises to the top of the vat 91, and is conductedtherefrom and discharged onto the filter by the pipe 115, and falls tothe bottom of the separator and may be Washed out from said retortpassing through the Waste lines 69, into the tanks 70. The scum or otherrefuse which rises to the surface of the vat 91, passes into the trough116, at the The waste is admitted from the separator into said tanks 70,and discharged there: from alternately, and passes thence into thewaste'pit 112, from which it maybe 'delivered to any desired pointthrough the elevator 113. Two waste .tanks are provided in order thatthe waste may be dischargedfrom the separator without relieving thesteamvpres'sure therein, as it is always de- 65. tumble to maintain saidpressure, and not to .late through it.

appreciably lower the temperature of the retort.

' It may be observed that the drum 9. is provided with a false bottom,as 114, spaced from the bottom of the drum and which is removable andformed of perforated material. This is provided to arrest and hold thecoarse ore and allow the steam to perco- The finer particles and meltedore pass through the perforations and are carried off through the pipe50, as explained. At stated intervals, it is necessary to remove thisfalse bottom for the purpose of repairing or replacing the same.

By the use of the apparatus hereinbefore described, the sulfur or othersimilar minerals may be extracted from the ores bearing the same, by acontinuously operated process, and delivered therefrom in a comparatively refined state;

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for extracting sulfur from ore, including a plurality ofheater drums connected together, and arranged one above the other, meansfor delivering ore thereto, means for. introducing a heating fluid intosaid drums, and a separator arranged to receive the heated ore deliveredfrom the drums, and provided with means to separate the refuse from themineral therein. i

2. An' apparatus for extracting sulfur from ore, including a separator,a plurality of heater drums arranged one above the other, the lower drumcommunicating with said separator, an ore bin connected to and arrangedabove the upper drum, suitable valves controlling the passage of orefrom said bin to said upper drum from each drum to the one beneath itand from the lower drum to said separator, 'an elevator for deliveringore to sald bin,- means for-introducingfla heating fluid into saidretort and into said respective drums and bin, and

means Within the separator for separating the refuse-from the mineral ofthe ore. 3. In a device .for extracting sulfur from its ore, a separatorprovided with a steam box, a steam line entering said steam box,

the upper side of said box being provided with transverse rows ofperforations, plates covering said rows, said plates being spaced apart,and formed with grooves, which conmet with said perforations and extendto the edges of the corresponding plates, thus forming a steamy ,table,over which the heated ore passes, an inlet chute through which the oreis delivered to said table, and

' fromore, a separator provided with a sulfur ore delivering chute, thebottom of which is formed into a steam table, a steam box of which saidtable forms a part, said table being "provided with outlet passageways,a steam line through which steam is conducted into said. box, and meansarranged within the separator to receive the melted sulfur from saidtable and t0 separate the foreign matter contained therein, therefrom.

5. An apparatus of the character described, including a plurality ofheater drums connected together. and arranged, one above the other, aseparator to which the lower drum is connected, means for delivering oreto the upper drum, means for introducing a heating fluid into saiddrums,

means controlling the discharge of the ore from the respective drums,and means Within the separator for separating the meltedsulfur containedin said ore from the refuse therein.

6. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a separator of a plurality of heater drumsconnected together, and arranged, one above the other, the lower drumbeing connected to said separator, a sul- .from the respective drums,means for introducing a heating fluid into said drums, means containedwithin the separator for separating melted sulfur contained in said orefrom the refuse, and means for discharging the separated sulfur andrefuse separately, from said separator.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribin Witnesses.

- EORGE M. SHIRES.

Witnesses:

E. V. HARDWAY, IRENE BRUNS.

